The Immortals
by Red Horseman
Summary: AU fantasy fic. Third Impact wasn't the end but just the beginning of Shinji's journey.


The Immortals

Chapter 1: Shadow Games

Red Horseman

* * * *

   _All men are born condemned, so the wise say. All suckle the breast of Death._

_   All bow before that Silent Monarch. That Lord in Shadow lifts a finger. A feather flutters to the earth. There is no reason in His song. The good go young. The wicked prosper. He is king of the Chaos Lords. His breath stills all souls. _

        --Shadows Linger: The Second Chronicle of the Black Company

* * * * 

   To say it was just a storm would have been an understatement. Saying a god had decided to cleanse the countryside would have been closer to the truth. Rain cascaded from black clouds, threatening to wash away the unlucky caught in the open, be it man or animal, as streams overflowed their banks and into roads. The winds shrieked through the wide dale adding to the noise caused by the storm, and the misery of residents of the realm. Sheets of light raced across the night sky at increasingly frequent intervals, illuminating everything in a multitude of colors. And sometimes the sky and ground would meet in a thunderous crash. It was at times like this that normal people hid in their houses; praying to gods they had neglected before to protect them.     

   Then there were the others who didn't fear the weather or much else and certainly didn't put much faith in the gods of the world. They were called madmen for taunting the gods or fools for not using some caution in their dealings with nature. Many died crying out a name of a deity, hoping the god or goddess would welcome them home. Others had no time to cry out, their expressions locked in horror or surprise at their moment of death. Yet for every five hundred fools who died there was one who survived their ordeals becoming stronger, more cunning and for a few, wiser. People whispered when they passed on the roads and taverns became still when they entered, and for good reason. It was believed these men and women had been touched by a god or in some cases, a devil, and it was for this reason they were treated with both respect and fear. 

   One of those people was currently riding through the storm, a shadow within the darkness of the night, uncaring of what was happening around him. The man would've smiled and laughed lightly at hearing the description of his ordeals and survival in life. He had been touched by a devil certainly, he wasn't entirely sure who had won that battle, but he hadn't had any encounters with a god. In his mind they were for folks who had never faced down an archwizard in a spell battle or felt the burning sensation of steel plunging into one's own flesh. Yet his thoughts weren't on the opinions of folks he would never meet nor was he dwelling on past battles and the wounds he had received.

   Without a sound he guided the large black stallion through a raging stream, swaying slightly in the saddle as it stumbled amongst the rocks before urging it up an incline after reaching the other side. A pull of the reins and a quiet word stopped the armored horse well before it could crest the hill and expose them to any inquiring eyes. Though a storm was neither an obstacle to seeking magic nor a hindrance to non-humans as the rider had learned from past experiences. It were those encounters that caused the man to loosely tie the reins around the saddle horn as he urged his mount forward while he started a spell.

   Despite the driving rain and crash of thunder, the man's voice would've been clearly heard by anyone or anything within ten feet as it rose and fell, intoning the proper words.  While he chanted the verbal component of the spell, his fingers wove themselves through an intricate dance, the digits threatening to become entwined. A blue light twinkled about the rider's hands, growing brighter with each passing moment as the spell grew more powerful. All the while he was aware of his mount walking indifferently to the workings of its master, its hooves clicking against the occasional stone. With a surge of powerful muscles, he felt the stallion cross the remaining distance to the crest of the hill, stopping with a snort and shake of its head as a high pitched hum came from above.

   The armored rider spoke the final words of the spell and flung his arms outward, fingers splayed out, releasing the magical energies. He watched for moment with a critical eye as the spell raced away from him in an ever-expanding circle, flowing into the storm-racked dale and along his back trail. Only a trained eye would've seen the falling rain pushed out of the vertical and the grass of the meadow bow over for moment as something passed. Back on the hill the spell caster had his head tilted off to one side, his eyes glazed over as part of his awareness rode the spell. All of his senses reaching out and searching for any sign of trouble or ill intent. Minutes later with a shudder, he severed his connection with the spell, having found nothing to trouble himself over. He knew it would slowly fade away unless it encountered something evil, then before it died, it would give warning to the caster with the last of its energy.

   Leather creaked and metal jingled as the man shifted forward slightly. Staring out into the gloom of the night, he waited for the flash of lightning. The extra illumination was unnecessary, but he wanted to see with his own eyes what his spirit had seen before he had broken away from the spell. Shadows and gloom were banished from the entire valley as silvery light bathed all exposed surfaces for but a moment, causing the man to narrow his eyes briefly.  

   '**So that abominable collection of rubble is your home, human? The lower levels of the Nine Hells are more aesthetically pleasing and more lifelike than anything man could make.'**

The deep-throated rumble of a voice garnered no immediate reaction from the rider as its snide comment reverberated through the confines of his mind. A number of years had allowed him to become acclimated to the various insults and barbs the subservient creature threw his way from time to time. A grim smile crossed his features when he gathered up the reins in one fist contemplating his response to their old game between an ancient conquered foe and its young master.

**   'I'm simply amazed that you, a creature of immense power, are a connoisseur of architecture. I'll ask you for your vaunted expertise in picking a design the next time I'm interested in moving to the realm of devils and demons.'**

**   'Don't mock me, insignificant worm! I can destroy…'**

   'Who's the insignificant worm here, wyrm! Do you no longer wish to honor our blood pact, to dishonor all of your kind, because of a simple bond to a human irritates you? If so speak the words and I'll release you from your chains, and we can resume our battle, but instead of capture it will be to the death!' 

  Each intelligent creature waited for the other to speak first, stretching the silence into long tense moments. The master, a human, of their partnership waited and prepared himself for the answer from the servant, a wyrm, dreading a negative response that would rend the peaceful dale apart. When no answer came forth, the man angrily jerked on the reins, mad at himself for losing control of his temper, bringing the stallion around, and mad at the creature who provoked him, driving his spurs into the flanks of the animal. A cry of pain and surprise issued forth from the horse's mouth as it plunged down the hill, sod thrown up by steel shod hooves as it raced towards the road and the town it lead to in the distance. With his black cape trailing behind him, cracking every few seconds, and brown hair blown into a streamer, the rider rode determinedly to his destination, his face set like stone as blue eyes stared straight ahead, ignoring the water that stung his face. 

- - - -   ****

   The thunderstorm was dying, the driving rains that had threatened to flood the dale were reduced to drizzle, and the high winds were now slowing to a breeze. As black clouds retreated from the high hills of the dale, heading for the moist and warmer climates farther inland, they were replaced by thin gray wisps illuminated in a silvery light by a full moon. In the town, torches hissed in the light rain, and water gurgled down grate-covered gutters, streaming out of the streets and into the darkness of the countryside. Even as an intermittent bolt of lightning flashed in the sky, the upstanding citizens of the community came out of their buildings to assess the damage and celebrate surviving such a storm.

   But they weren't quite alone in their endeavors as the denizens of the underworld came out of their hidden lairs to ply their various cons and trade as well as prey upon the wealthy citizens. Shadows glided silently from rooftop to rooftop, stopping at specific residences committed to memory and with extreme caution and expertise stole into bedrooms and strongboxes. At the multiple bars and taprooms across the town alcohol flowed freely while games of chance were started, bets exchanged at impromptu fisticuffs matches and pockets picked as men came in from shoring up bridges and retaining walls. Others were far more interested in the comforts that only a lady could provide, and so both the high-class brothels and cheap whorehouses were packed, each woman attending to their customers in a proficient manner. All in all it was a profitable night for both legitimate and illegitimate businesses as gold flowed freely from hand to hand, except for a handful.

   In the recessed entryway of a darkened prominent business located along the main thoroughfare of the city, a lady of the night huddled, her wet green dress plastered to her body. But any passerby taking more than a cursory glance would have seen that her body wasn't of a full-grown woman but one of a girl, just into her early teenage years. Her lack of age didn't bother the young female as the wind gusted, causing her to wrap her arms around her small frame, rubbing her arms in a vain attempt to keep warm. A rumble came from her midsection as she gazed out into the road, reminding her how long it had been since she had eaten a decent meal, hoping to find a customer who liked their entertainment on the scrawny and young side. Closing her eyes, she shifted her weight slightly, trying to relieve the pain in her legs and ignoring the sensations her growing body was sending her mind. 

   "Pardon my intrusion, little one, but I was wondering if you would be willing to help me with something."

   The girl opened her eyes with a squeak of surprise, wondering how long she had been out it in order not to hear someone approaching her position. Her first view showed a large black war-horse standing in front of her, covered in flat ebony armor that hardly reflected the light of the torches, its ugly face staring back at her with eyes that glowed red. A white sparked erupted from the cobblestones where the horse pawed at them with impatient, eerily there was no sound accompanying the simple action. Gripping her throat in fright, the scared girl let her eyes travel upward, wondering with mounting fear what kind of person would ride, let alone claim ownership of such a beast.

  Dark eyes held hers as she finally reached the man's head, which was partially cloaked in shadow, allowing only a glimpse of a youthful face with a small smile on his lips. Yet even with that little display of humanity and kindness she couldn't drive away the feeling of dread she felt in her bones at what she had seen. Hanging loosely off the man's, or maybe he was a boy, shoulders had been a large black cape, which had been briefly blown away from the body of the rider for a few seconds. During those seconds she had viewed plate armor, even blacker than his mount that didn't reflect any light, encasing the rider while a broadsword hung at his hip, its hilt wrapped in leather.

   "Are you looking for some companionship tonight, my Lord?" she asked timidly after her stomach had rumbled once more. 

   "That depends on whether you are able to provide the information I am in need of," he replied in soft voice.

   The girl nodded, and gave him a shy smile, one she had only shown her family and never to a customer. 

   "Good," the man said at seeing her agreement. "I'm looking for a quality inn, please be patient until you hear all of what I have to say. As I said I am looking for an inn, preferably with none of your business partners working. It must have private rooms along with a private bath, and have quality food." Fixing his gaze upon the young prostitute he released the spell to detect dishonesty from the recipient, he asked his final question. "Is there such an accommodating place located within Devon?"

   "The Roc's Nest, which is located on the Dragon's Flame in the Jasper Quarter, meets all of your criteria, my Lord." She stepped out of the enclosure, stopping next to the big stallion, and stared upward. "It's also quite affordable for all of its services, and about…"

   The teenager stared hesitantly at the offered hand in front of her, debating whether to accept, while the man waited patiently for her response. Her emaciated frame shook as a small tremor raced through her, but whether it was from the rider or the cold environment she didn't know. With a defiance that she didn't feel, she wrapped her hand around the black gauntlet, and wanted to scream when it quivered like a living creature under her palm. But her throat was constricted and all that issued forth from her mouth was a whimper as she was lifted off the ground and guided to saddle behind the armored rider.

   "So where is this Jasper Quarter, miss, I'm kind of new to Devon," he stated after feeling the girl wrap trembling arms around his torso.

   A pale hand appeared off to his right side, its forefinger quivering yet pointing straight down the thoroughfare and farther into the town of Devon. Nodding his head at the silent direction, the man started his mount with a tap of his spurs keeping it to a fast trot, eager to reach his destination. And that was how they proceeded to the inn called the Roc's Nest, the girl telling him in a quiet voice when and where to turn before falling silent again.

- - - -

   "We don't serve your kind here, so leave if you know what's good for you!"

   The doorman's gruff declaration stopped neither the man in black armor nor the young lady in green from leaving the entryway, where he stood guard, and proceeding toward the inn's main room. With a growl of anger at his warning being ignored, he grabbed a warhammer covered with silver runes from the leather strap at his waist, taking a step forward and reaching for the man in armor.  The guard never knew what occurred in the moments after the fingers of his bare hand scarcely brushed the black armor. Darkness embraced his entire being and his last sight was of the intruder standing over him.

   "Did you have to kill him, he was only doing his job!" The girl exclaimed at seeing the twisted body of the guard lying on the floor of the inn, his breastplate crushed and the arm that had held the warhammer bent at an unnatural angle. "Oh man, what are we supposed to do now?"

   "We? What's this _we_ business you're talking about? And anyways this man isn't…"

   "Samuel isn't dead, miss, though he'll wake up with a few aches and pains, and hopefully be a little smarter next time but he'll be alive," interrupted a newcomer, who had a bare longsword in one hand, backed by a number of armed adventurers. "But that doesn't excuse you from assaulting him, so unless you want me to call the watch you two have same quick explaining to do."

   "Well, you see, sir, we were coming here to use your wonderful inn," the girl began, glancing at the body to see its chest rise and fall.

   "Please be quiet, miss," chided the man who had asked her to recommend an inn before turning back to the other male. "And who would you be, sir?"

   "Stephen Miller," answered the man. "And the proprietor of this establishment."

   "Good, that makes things a lot easier, I won't have to keep dealing with the hired help." As he spoke the man in black took a careful step forward, reaching toward his neck. 

   The teenager carefully moved to a position where she could observe both of the men's actions, and stay out of the way if violence erupted between the two. It was only from her new post that she was able to see what occurred after the innkeeper had introduced himself, and her customer had been thrilled at the news. She found herself holding her breath in anticipation as the mysterious man slowly withdrew an object from underneath his breastplate. Her eyes widened at the sudden flash of gold in the main room's light, causing her and the others to lean forward slightly hoping to see what it was he was showing the proprietor, who turned pale after studying the object. A frown crossed her face, seeing only a large ring, which was soon returned to its hiding place, before turning her attention back to the two men. 

   "You know what that ring signifies, don't you Master Miller?" 

   "Y-y-yes, your H-Highness," stammered the innkeeper. 

   "Don't call me by that title! I'm just Shinji Ikari at the moment, an adventurer returning home." Shinji smiled faintly at the man's agreement. "I apologize for what I did to your doorman but…"    

   Stephen waved a hand, briefly looking at the man on the floor. "I understand that such things happen sir, though the medical…"

   "Just add any expenses for his recovery to my bill," interrupted the prince. "Now then about my accommodations."

   "Of course, how foolish of me to keep you waiting."

- - - -

   "Would you rather eat or bathe first, miss?"

   Numbly, the girl looked up from her seat on the corner of the bed, from which she had not moved from since arriving in the spacious room, to stare man who was turning her mind inside out. At the moment, she was trying so hard to wrap her mind around the concept that the man who had scared the wits out of her on the streets was in fact of royal lineage. Turning her head, she saw that Shinji wasn't even looking at her, instead lifting the lids off the trays which had just recently arrived and inspecting the various dishes. The smell of roasted meats and fresh baked bread drifted across the room, assaulting both her nose and stomach, causing her to force her contemplation of the man out of her mind.  

   "I'll eat first," she said, walking over to the food. Picking up a roll of bread, she wolfed it down ignoring the grin on the man's face. "And stopping calling me miss or girl, I do have a name, you know!"

   "I'm quite sure your parents named you but," commented the adventurer, striding over to the copper bathtub, "you never told me."

   "Oh, it's Samantha."

   "A very beautiful name."

   Shinji removed one of his gauntlets, which slowly settled to waist height, and stuck a couple fingers into the water of the tub, frowning at the temperature. Furrowing his brow in concentration, he drew a trace of energy from himself, letting it flow into the liquid, which soon had a wispy haze hovering above it. A smile of satisfaction touched his lips before he grabbed the floating glove, and walked to a rack standing next to the wide comfortable-looking bed before reaching for the first buckle of his armor.

   Samantha watched with a critical eye, as she attacked the roasted meat with a vengeance, while Shinji divested himself of his protective steel shell. Her chin came to rest on one palm, the corners of her mouth turned up faintly in a mischievous little smile at the ironic twist of events happening in the room. In the months she had been working as a prostitute, the teen had stripped for many a man, enduring the lewd gazes and caresses they had turned upon her developing body, so it was with a little pleasure she turned her gaze upon the man. A light laugh escaped her lips when he pulled his padded upper undergarment over his head, which caused him to look over his shoulder at her with a puzzled look. 

   "You're not so intimidating without your armor on," she explained when he continued to stare at her.

   "That's a strange thing to be telling someone who is feeding you at the moment."

   "Well, I think any person would've been scared by you in your armor and by," she shuddered as she spoke," your mount. I really thought you were taking me someplace secluded to do a dark ritual." 

   "I guess it's only natural for you to have been scared, after all it's not any ordinary armor. In fact…" 

   She didn't listen to a single word the man spoke instead she was concentrating her entire attention on his body. Her eyes couldn't help but follow him as he moved to the tub; he didn't stride about the floor instead gliding across it, his movements graceful and purposeful, wasting not a single motion, unlike the lumbering brutes who staggered about on their way to bed. The grin on her face grew as she realized what, or she should say whom, he was emulating with his actions. His tone lithe body lacked the massive muscles of most human fighters yet he radiated calmness and confidence that he'd win any fight. It wasn't only that, and Samantha chided herself for not noticing it earlier, it was the silent humor that had been dancing in his dark blue eyes, like he was playing some joke on her. Only one race she knew acted like that and she hadn't seen one in a year, but it had made an impression on her that she'd never forget. 

   "So tell me, how does a _human_ of royal lineage become adapt at the ways of Tel'Quess?" she inquired quietly, seeing his right hand twitch, before settling back in her chair, waiting for his response. "And if you really are royalty, like the innkeeper said, how come I've never heard of you before?"   

   "How do you know of the Tel'Quess?" 

   "Every few months a couple of moon elves from Glimmerdusk would stop at my school to speak to the headmaster, they were old friends, and give a lecture to a few select students about magic and how all living things are joined in some minor way." She smiled sadly, remembering the joyous memories of meeting the elves. "I was an exceptional student, so I was always chosen to attend their lectures."

   "The Glimmerdusk elves are the only elves who'll willingly have interactions with humans, all the others consider mankind a scourge on the earth." With the last of his clothing removed, Shinji slid into the steaming water before speaking again. "But even then they are very selective of whom they'll talk with, so consider your meetings with them an honor and a privilege."

   "I did, and still do, consider it an honor," she spoke, quietly rising to her feet.

   "Good."

   Specters from the past floated from the recesses of his mind intertwining with the present as he spoke, his eyes closing to slits as he succumbed to the soothing affects of the water. A song came to his lips and he started humming the melody, roughly at first but soon smoothing out as forgotten notes were remembered, as he felt the joy with which it had been sung. As he continued to hum other images of feasts, battles, dances and conversations hovered in front of his mind's eye, awakening emotions he hadn't felt for years. 

- - - - -

   "Hey Shinji, you want to kiss me?"

   To most boys in their early teens the phrase just spoken was practically an open invitation for their imaginations to run wild at what could follow, but for the man it was pure misery. He had forgotten how many times he had watched the scene play out in front of him over the years, how many times his heart would twist at seeing it. The pain was never from the kiss, which was currently taking place, or the sequence of events that would soon follow. His sorrow was from not knowing if his memories would ever be complete or if he'd be able to meet the redhead who he had confused feelings for. Turning, he strode for the far wall and passed through it as the beautiful girl retreated to her room before the tears fell.

- - - -

   '**May I inquire into why you paid for the services of that young girl without getting anything in return, especially ten times her rate?'**

   Shinji pulled on the reins of his war-horse, stopping while contemplating both his answer to the simple question and why his subservient companion was asking it. That the creature was asking was in of itself a queer occurrence, and the sincere inquisitiveness in its voice made it only weirder for the human. Still he knew at times the creature strived for knowledge, even if it was only to understand why a human reacted in a certain way. And what he had done that morning in the bedroom fell under the definition of confusing for the beast and it would want to know why. After all, anyone who paid for the services of a whore but didn't use her must be crazy.

   '**Only if I can ask you a question in return.'** Silence reined for a time as the creature thought about the request.

   '**Fair enough, human.'**

The warrior closed his eyes, a frown gracing his features as he organized his thoughts and memories of his past experiences to answer the question. There were few pleasant and warm memories to offset the pain he had been through since being born, but those were inconsequential at the moment. It was the painful and humiliating times that he needed to being to the front of his brain, to relish in every detail. His body trembled remembering the physical tortures it had been subjected to as his mind had been pushed to edge of insanity.

   '**I'm uncomfortable in such a situation.' **He finally admitted in a mental whisper.

**   'Surely you jest, Shinji. You're not a little boy anymore.' **The man could imagine the large toothy grin that would've accompanied the comment if the creature were in its true form. '**Everyone…'**

**   'I am not everyone else, and it would be to your benefit not to forget it!' **His anger surged, straining against its shackles, wanting to be free but he regained control and when he next spoke, it was with sadness. '**My master, the creature who forced me to learn every ancient and modern spell he had collected, thought my first time should be quite a memorable experience. I thought it was going to be a simple summoning and dominating spell, one I had done countless times before and one I had finally mastered. I was wrong and paid for my ignorance.' **Shinji's laugh was bitter as he remembered that time spent in a well illuminated room, one designed so he could watch everything happening to him. '**The succubus was neither summoned nor dominated by my spell, which was just a disguised teleportation spell. She was the plaything of my master and had received permission to do whatever she wanted. I was her reward for pleasing our master.'**

   '**The experience was quite unforgettable I take it.'**

 Shinji gritted his teeth but relaxed because there was no humor or malice in the comment. '**Yes, but I paid them back before I escaped.'**

   '**And so you shun anything that faintly resembles intimacy or requires you to lower your defenses.'**

**   'No!'**

**   'Liar, I know you better than that. I have learned a great many things since our battle and my transformation at your hands, and such a simplistic lie is easy to see through.'**

**   'Silence!'**

- - - - -

****_"Kill the boy and be done with it!"_

_   "Father, how can you say such a thing. He's just a child."_

_   "He's human, and that's enough to warrant his death."_

_   The child stood ramrod straight next to the corpse of his guardian not showing the fear within him as the elves discussed his fate. And he knew that was what they were speaking about in harsh voices even if he couldn't understand a word they were saying. Since he could remember that was all his life had been about, others making decisions for him without caring about what he wanted or desired. His father had abandoned him after his mother's death on the excuse that his son would better serve his subjects if he went out into the world for a few years. That had been months ago and he had learned many things in that short time, one of the most important to bury all his feelings. And so it was with calm emotionless detachment that he watched the argument between the moon elves, not caring what happened to him._

_   "-just like your mother. Do whatever you want, Takari."_

_   The boy watched, knowing some decision had been reached when the elfin party split apart with some heading back into the forest while others stayed in the clearing. He couldn't help but feel a little nervousness when the female who had been arguing with an older male started walking toward him. She was pretty he thought as she approached, her silver hair glittering in the sunlight of noon. He involuntarily swallowed when she stopped in front of him and squatted down so they were eye to eye. Her gold flecked green eyes danced with some emotion while she studied him and the boy found himself trembling on the verge of tears._

_   "What's your name, little one?" she asked in Common. _

_   "Shinji. Shinji Ikari," he whispered._

_   "I'm Takari Starfall."_

_   "What's going to happen to me?" he inquired, his voice cracking. _

_   The elf maiden gave him a warm smile. "That's up to you, little one. Do you want me to return you to your family?" Her smile faded a little at his vigorous headshake. "Don't you have a family?"_

_   "My father doesn't care about me and my mother's dead. I have no family." He stared into her eyes, searching for something but not knowing what. "Can I come with you?"_

_   "It's rare for elves to take in humans but-" She took his hand in her own. "-it does happen from time to time."_

- - - -

   Shinji leaned against the trunk of an ancient shadowtop, struggling to regain control of his emotions. When his breathing slowed to ragged breaths he allowed himself to slide down the rough bark until he was sitting on the ground. Only then did he allow himself to look at the cairn in front of him with its occupant's name spelled out in elven script and felt an emptiness growing within his chest. Reaching up, his fingers brushed the delicate crystal earring Takari had given him so many years ago as a sign of their bond when he had left her house. It was because of the jewelry that he had sensed something was wrong and so the grave wasn't unexpected, but just because he had been expecting it didn't lessen the pain. Reaching out, he laid a bare hand on the cold stone, his fingers tracing the delicate script of her name. His eyes widened when a small compartment opened when he reached the end and he picked up the companion of the earring he wore.

   "Takari always said that if she died before you she wanted you to have that. I tried to find you when she was killed but I was unsuccessful."

   The man winced when he drove the stud through his unadorned ear. "It's not your fault, Taeghen. I've purposefully kept my whereabouts hidden, especially from anyone of my father's realm."

   Taeghen Starfall moved next to the grave on silent feet and squatted down, his eyes betraying nothing while he studied the young human man across from him. Where Samantha had only noticed the physical, how Shinji walked and held himself, the elf was making mental comparisons to the boy of the past and the man of the present. Gone was the emotionally injured child whom his sister had taken into her care, and whom he'd taught a bevy of skills, including swordsmanship to in the last years of his stay. And it worried the moon elf. The expansive gateway the boy's blue eyes had been to his emotions was gone replaced by a barricade of ice challenging all those wanting to enter to turn back. And his voice was empty, betraying nothing of the speaker's emotions a complete contrast to the boy whose voice had revealed what he'd been feeling despite his words. Taeghen's uneasiness wasn't as great as it could've been because he'd seen the extreme pain and anguish on Shinji's face when he'd first seen Takari's grave.

   "You've changed a lot from the boy I taught swords," stated the elfin warrior.

   "It was either change or die, and I really don't want to die at the moment," Shinji answered bitterly. "Whenever I thought I'd found someplace peaceful to live something would come along and destroy it. After a while I grew tired of the cycle and came to the conclusion I could never live in peace."

   "So you became a mercenary."

   "And more." Shinji drew his knees up and rested his chin on them. "I hate killing people, but it's the only thing I'm good at it seems. And if that's all I'm good for I might as well be the best so that my enemy's pain is over quickly."

   The elf nodded yet disagreed with the young man about his choices, but knew the human had made his own decisions and it wasn't his place to judge. "So what are you doing here, running from an enemy?"

   "Takari's death called me home."

   "And what are you going to do now?"

   Shinji stood up, smiling. "Since I'm in the area I might as well go and see my father."

   Taeghen stiffened. "Your father?"

   "Yeah, it's been years since I've had any communication with him. We spoke briefly after I left Takari, but not since then." The man's eyes narrowed at some private thought. "He'll be surprised to see me after so long." Before his compatriot could speak he bowed. "I wish the circumstances were better for our meeting, and as much as it pains me I know nothing will bring Takari back."

   "You're leaving?"

   "Despite your sister's attempt to get us to become friends we've always had a student/teacher relationship, right?" 

   "Takari was always like that." The elf chuckled but his voice was serious when he spoke again. "But no matter what you think I consider you a friend, Shinji Ikari. I wish you'd stay a while longer so we could talk about everything that's happened since you left."

   The admission shocked Shinji and he felt guilty for his brusqueness toward Taeghen. "On my way back I'll…"

   "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep," interrupted the warrior.

   "I understand." Shinji swung up into the saddle and turned toward his compatriot. "Is the crossroads still active?"

   "Yes. Shinji be careful." Once again there was worry in the elf's eyes, but it wasn't about his student's emotional wellbeing. "Before she died Takari told us her killer was asking about you." He saw the human's face harden at the news. "Be careful and don't be blinded by hate when you meet up with him. He was able to take out a fully equipped scouting party with barely any wounds according to Takari."

   "I'll be careful, but I will kill him!" Shinji spun his horse around and started into the forest. 

   "Goodbye my friend."

- - - -

   Misato Katsuragi, Knight Captain of the Royal Guard, was not a happy woman as she exited Castle Fury and quickly walked down the long stone path toward the women's bathhouse. She was used to the impossible since she'd come into the services of one King Gendo Ikari, but her recent orders exceeded the definition of impossible. Only the gods would be able to accomplish what her assignment was and they had not given her any outward sign they were going to take mercy on her. She planned on spending some time soaking in the hot springs and planning strategy for her assignment since Gendo hadn't told her to expedite to carry out his orders. With a shake of her head, she cleared her thoughts and entered the bathhouse only to stop in surprise.

   "Is something the matter, Misato?"

   The knight smiled. "I just wasn't expecting you to be here, Hikari."

   Which was true thought the amethyst-haired woman as she started removing her cloths and placing them in a small locker located along one wall. Hikari Horaki's dedication to her job and the duties it entailed bordered on the fanatical, but she was one of her best field specialists. And if the brunette was here instead of bossing a couple soldiers around getting the medical supplies organized then it spoke volumes about her opinion of the assignment. The older woman chuckled, as she knew how much those soldiers would be dreading the girl's return, especially a certain soldier. Grabbing a towel, she opened the large doors at back of the changing room and stepped outdoors, and quickly crossed to the large hot springs.

   "Is the king insane, Misato?" Hikari whispered after they had slid into the water.

   The older woman looked around, but the closest servant was too far away to hear. "Be careful what you say, even here."

   Both females knew magical barriers that prevented outside spying surrounded the women's bathhouse, but it was never wise to assume nothing could penetrate it. There were too many examples of servants, male and female, being suddenly let go, or even disappearing after a trip to the bathhouse.  

   "I know, but what he's asking for is unreasonable!"

   Misato sighed, "I agree with you, Hikari, but there's nothing we can do except carry out our orders."

   She didn't even know where to begin her quest in trying to find someone whom no one in the royal household had set eyes on for nineteen years. There were the few intact portraits of Shinji Ikari, which had been commissioned before his forced exile from his home, but they were of a youthful child. And she had the sketches done by the seeress, Ritsuko, of what the boy should look like as a fully-grown man, but those didn't even help Misato. It didn't matter what the prince looked like if she didn't even know where to begin searching for him and the kingdom was massive spanning a million square kilometers. They had tried scrying the prince's signet ring but the backlash of magical energies, which had destroyed their device, had told them it was futile to find him by arcane methods. Yet it wasn't just the unreasonable demands of her mission, or the initial setbacks in trying to find the prince that worried the older woman. 

   "Hikari, do you have a weird feeling about the prince?" Misato blushed at the quizzical look. "Not like that! I just feel like I've met him before, that I know him almost intimately. But it's impossible since I didn't show up until seven years after his exile."

   "Not really with the prince," answered Hikari. She averted her eyes and stared at the water in embarrassment. "It's mainly with you and…Touji. I knew the moment I met you how much you like to drink and have fun off-duty, and how protective you are of your subordinates."

   Misato coughed at the comment about her drinking. "How come you never said anything before?"

   "Because it was too weird for me to explain. And it wasn't like I knew you like a friend would but as a acquaintance." The brunette looked up. "With Touji, I know I really like him, but I also have this feeling that something horrible happened to him. Yet I don't know what it is and whether it's in the future, or already done."

   Misato nodded because she had the same feeling about the tall man in her command whom doted on the woman next to her. "Anyone else you have that feeling about, Hikari?"

   "Kensuke, but it's only faint like I've met him before." Her brow furrowed in concentration. "Also I've had dreams about a redhead from…I can't remember where she's from. But her name was or is…"

   "Asuka. Asuka Langley Soryu," finished Misato, quietly. "What the hell is going on here?"

   "I don't know, Misato. I've had this feeling for over eight years, but it's the first time I've said it because I thought it was just me."

   "Okay, don't say anything to anyone else until we're out in the field and away from Gendo," commanded the knight. "Once we get away from the spies we can…"

   Whatever the purple-haired woman was going to say about what they'd accomplish in the field was drowned out by a high-pitched wail that reverberated off the walls. The cacophony was so unexpected that none of the two dozen or so females in the hot water moved except to cover their abused ears. That changed when the sound changed pitch becoming a deep rumble, and multicolored ribbons of magical energy radiated from a spot at the edge of the springs. With increasing speed, the women and girls in the water were exiting, forgetting their towels in their haste to escape whatever was coming. But they were too late as the magical barriers set in place to prevent spying ruptured in a spectacular display of sound, light, and energy.

   Misato blinked away the stars in her eyes as she had been staring directly at the disturbance when the barriers failed. Standing, she coughed when smoke and ozone attacked her lungs, but she didn't move from her spot because she knew it was useless. She hadn't brought her sword or any smaller weapons with her from her meeting with Gendo, never foreseeing the need for them in a place like the hot springs. And she knew those around her would either be dead or prisoners by the time word reached the day watch and they sent out the rapid response team to deal with the intrusion. So she stood there in morbid curiosity of what was soon going to appear and a little humor as she also wondered why anyone would begin their attack in a bathhouse. She grinned crookedly at the thought of the surprise the attackers would receive as they found themselves in a hot spring.

   Her muscles tensed as a man in ebony armor suddenly appeared out of thin air followed by a large war-horse in the same colored armor, but she soon found herself laughing. The look on the warrior's face had been priceless as he'd taken a single step and plunged into heated water over his head while his horse simply moved to the side path. Her laughter and the laugher of the females who hadn't left filled the air only to stop when all the water in the springs abruptly shot skyward. Fear filled her when the man slowly rose from the bottom and floated over to his steed, his hair matted to his head and water trickling out of his armor.

   "I am going to kill Taeghen the next time I see him," muttered the man. "He must've been laughing in his boots at the joke he pulled over on me. A backroads that leads to a stupid hot springs, who ever heard of such a thing! The guardian must be dead because it would never allow it." He picked up the reins and turned around still oblivious to the nude females. "What a way to make an entrance. Father is _not_ going to be impressed."

   Misato cleared her throat and she watched as the man angrily turned in her direction, his hand immediately dropping to the hilt of his sword. Pure horror and embarrassment replaced the anger on his face when he finally took notice of his surroundings. 

   "You better start explaining fast, Mister."

- - - -

   Slowly striding around the opulent room, Shinji took in every detail of the works of art and exquisite craftsmanship of the furniture with a frown. The amount of wealth in the small room disgusted him, and he knew the lesson his father was giving him by placing him in such a room, but he was in no mood for the lesson. News of his embarrassing appearance in the hot springs was spreading through the castle and he knew his father knew he knew. And the delay while the household got ready for Shinji to present himself was deliberate. The detainment would be long enough to chastise the prince for making a fool of himself, which would be a blemish on the king's reputation. It wasn't like he'd broken the barriers, fell in the water, and briefly stared at the servants on purpose.  

   His anger peaked and leather creaked as his right fist clenched tightly while he remember the humiliation of being slapped by the purple-haired woman and the actions of his father. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and put himself through the mental exercises of his former master to control his emotions and clear his mind. When he reopened his eyes minutes later all traces of anger and impatient were gone, walled off in the deep recesses of his mind. Turning, he faced a wall with four ornate double-doors and employed another method to recover a memory from his childhood. With a small triumphant smile, he quickly strode toward the farthest door on the right, bypassing all the other trapped portals, and flung it open. Only to stop when he came face-to-face with the same lilac-haired woman who had slapped him earlier, but this time she was in armor and he recognized her rank.

   Warrior faced warrior without speaking while brown eyes faced deep blue neither of them betraying the thoughts of their owners while they studied the person before them.  Shinji tilted his head slightly when an image suddenly forced itself upon him of the same woman, but in a different setting. The steel and glass city of towering structures didn't exist on the present world but he knew that he had seen it before, and knew that he had lived with the woman. Giving himself a mental shake, he resolved to converse with her later in order to learn if she had any unexplained memories like he did. Smiling, he was the first to concede the point that for the present her authority exceeded his own. And it would remain that way until his father altered the arrangement.

   "Your father awaits you, Your Highness."

- - - -

   Misato chastised herself when the young man winced at her words and the cold tone she had delivered them in even if she did have justification. It showed a lack of proper discipline if she was unable to control her emotions without having the complete story, and she didn't have his side of the situation. She'd been told to wait for the king's summons after having been ordered to her quarters, and it had completely aggravated her but she'd obeyed. She realized she'd been projecting her anger at the only available target to her since the person she wanted to rage at she couldn't.

   "I'm sorry, Your Highness. It's just that…" she began.

   "My father's also kept you in the dark?" interrupted the man. "And just call me Shinji, I hate all that royal crap."

   Misato smiled, barely suppressing a giggle. "I'm Captain Katsuragi, but call me Misato. And we really should get going before your father becomes even more irritated at our delay."

   With that she moved to one side and allowed him to exit the extravagant waiting room and join her in the hallway, which was no less, richly decorated. She ignored the armsmen who quickly but silently took up positions behind them at a respectful distance. Instead she focussed her attention on the man next to her comparing him to her mental picture, which had become sharper in her short confinement. His initial cold personality conflicted with her memory of a sad, lonely boy but the smile he had given moments ago showed her that she would have to get to know this interesting person. 

   "I am wondering though," she said after the silence stretched. "What brought you back? Did you get some message from your father?"

   Misato was going to be pissed if that was the case of Shinji being back in the castle. Then again, Gendo could've sent a private courier for his son and only turned to her and her troops as a last resort. But she knew that wasn't the case as his fists clenched tightly.

   "No," he answered his voice thick. "I was visiting a friend."

   "How is she?" Misato swallowed when he stopped and faced her, his eyes cold.

   "Dead."

- - - -

   "I thought I told you to remain where I could find you!"

   Misato involuntarily shuddered at the king's words and glanced at the prince to see him wearing the same expression as his father. She had anticipated that things were going to be tense after hearing about Shinji's forced confinement, but nothing like what she was seeing. It had been all downhill since she had presented the prince and neither man had offered greetings to the other. Instead a battle of wills to see whom would lord over the other was occurring, and currently it was a stony stalemate as neither budged. She briefly wondered if it was her imagination that the temperature of the room was dropping, or caused by some magic. After all, a cold aura surrounded Shinji and his eyes were ice as they bored into his father's.   

   "You lost the right to command me when you abandoned me all those years ago!" snapped the young man. "If you thought I'd jump at your orders, you are sorely mistaken!"

   "And if you were to ascend the throne, how would anyone have found you?" the king asked coldly.   

   "I would've known you were dead," Shinji answered. "I'm not here because some messenger found me. And I'm not here to be a puppet!"

   Gendo frowned, but had no affect on his son. "Then why are you here?"

   "I am here because I was visiting a friend's, who was more of family then you ever were, gravesite." Shinji reined in his anger. "And I thought we could sit down and have a civil conversation for once. I was mistaken." He slowly removed his hand from his sword's hilt. "What are you going to use me for?"

   An excruciating pain shot through Shinji's mind after he had barely finished speaking those words to his father. Not for the first time, the room and its occupants faded becoming transparent while another scene overlaid his vision. Blinking rapidly at the forced double vision, he focused on the memory instead of the present and winced at the projection. A juvenile version of himself stood on a metal platform confronting by a monstrosity while a younger Gendo gazed down upon him. It didn't trouble him that he couldn't hear the conversation because he could easily fill in his father's words from the reaction of his other self. And as his sire turned away from him in the waking dream, he abruptly found himself back in the current reality with no time having passed.

   "There is a war brewing," Gendo started. "A war that threatens to engulf the entire world."

   "And you expect me to lead?"

   "No, I expect you to follow until I'm confident in your abilities."

   '**Sounds familiar, doesn't it?'**

Spinning, Shinji didn't acknowledge either his subservient companion's wisecrack or his father's degrading statement. His cloak writhed violently from feeding off his turbulent emotions as he quickly strode toward the gilded doors. Dark blue eyes narrowed at the guards taking up position in front of him and then turned black as he tapped the power within. At a whispered word, wood explosively splintered and metal twisted while bodies impacted against stone walls. The shouts of dismay didn't register on his consciousness as he stepped over the carnage and proceeded down the hallway and into the castle proper.

Minutes later, his steps slowed when he found himself in a desolate part of the castle and he finally stopped as he stepped into a darkened alcove. Sighing, he pulled off his ebony gauntlets before running a hand through damp brown hair and clearing his mind of the reunion. With fingertips touching fingertips, he brought his hands up to chest-height and slowed his breathing in preparation for the next step. A few tense moments passed while Shinji mentally studied the spell he was going to invoke as he knew he couldn't afford any mistakes. After all, it was crucial he didn't waste the opportunity after going through so much trouble in the throne room and with his father. 

   A white mist emanated from between his fingers and streamed over his hands with more following as he slowly intoned each archaic word. He had exhausted countless days modifying and perfecting the scrying spell to its present incarnation, and it was one of his best works. As he slowly pulled his hands, Shinji found himself holding his breath before releasing it when the cloud followed his movements. Once his hands were shoulder width apart he stopped, licking his dry lips before whispering another ancient word. The milkiness of the spell abruptly vanished, replaced by a view of the throne room showing his father and a couple advisors at a table. Another murmured word caused the image to blur before it stabilized at a position just behind Gendo's shoulder.   

_   "-trouble," muttered his father._

_   "I wonder how much of his defiance is from residual memories, or his upbringing in this dimension," a blond woman told the others. "Or maybe it's both."_

_   "Not only that, Ritsuko. We have to know what he knows before we can go any further." This came from an older gentleman dressed in a military uniform. "The three of us are the only ones outside of SEELE who have complete memories of what happened on our Earth._

_   "It doesn't matter, Fuyutsuki," stated Gendo. "All that matters is that we control and direct him. I will not have my dreams destroyed by him again!"_

_   "Do we use Rei for that purpose?" Ritsuko inquired. "He was close to her before Third Impact."_

_   "And if he has full memories it'd backfire on us!" snapped Fuyutsuki. "I don't think he'd do anything, but… Soryu would be a better choice."_

_   "I agree she'd be a better choice except for the fact that we don't know where the hell she is!" Ritsuko shot back. "Not only that but she was hard enough to control on Earth. From Shinji's demonstration, he isn't going to be easily swayed. Pair him up with Asuka and it could be throwing gasoline on a fire."_

_   "We have no choice," Gendo interrupted. "Make plans…"_

   "That is quite an interesting spell."

   Shinji jerked his head up at the quiet words and cursed as magical energy from the disrupted spell coursed over his flesh. Frowning, he turned to the person who had interrupted him at a crucial moment, and prepared to verbally shred them. But he couldn't do anything as crimson eyes framed by azure hair drained his ability to speak and all his anger. He spent several moments trying to talk before the shock finally wore off and he was able to regain speech.

   "Rei," he whispered.

   "Correct," answered the girl.  

   As much as he had dreamed of the young girl with auburn hair he also dreamed of the teenager standing before him. There was no difference between the living person before him and the one of his memories, at least physically, and it troubled him. Because of his exile he bore little resemblance to the boy in his memories, either physically or emotionally. His eyes narrowed as the spied conversation merged with another memory of Rei's rationale for doing things.

   "You don't trust your father?" she asked, her voice level.

   "Hell no! That bastard…"

   Flesh impacted with flesh but it wasn't the outcome Rei had been expecting. She looked at her trapped arm, which Shinji was gently holding onto at the wrist. A whimper escaped as he briefly squeezed at her struggles to be free before he released her. Rei frowned when he exited the alcove and reached out to him when he was about to start down the long hallway. His eyes weren't as cold or dangerous when he glanced over his shoulder at her light touch.

   "Don't ever try to hit me again," he warned her. "You got away with it before because I wasn't expecting it, and because I wouldn't retaliate. Now…" He let the word hang in the air and all it implied.

   "How much do you remember, Ikari?" Her dress swished as she picked up her pace.

   The young man held his eyes on hers when she angrily stepped in front of him. He knew he had found the girl of his memories attractive and the Rei in front of him was just as beautiful. The pale blue dress contrasted nicely with her pale skin while clinging to every curve of her supple body, and the bodice was low enough to show a hint of cleavage. That was why he had been grateful for diversion of his father and his advisors just moments ago, and his original memory. It wasn't that he didn't trust himself around her, after all he had been around enough women in his life. But he knew he had to retain his objectivity around everyone until he found out where everyone stood in regards to his father. 

   "Sometimes it's just names while at others it's their appearance. I also have fragments of places that don't exist here," he answered. "And sometimes I have a complete memory linking people with places and events that occurred. And it's getting less confusing all the time."

   Rei frowned. "You are extremely dangerous."

   "To my father?"

   "Everyone." The response wasn't what she had been expecting. His laugh sounded anything but humorous to the girl.

   "I am not a sheep anymore, Rei." Shinji leaned in close, staring into her eyes. "I have become a wolf and will not be directed in life." He backed off suddenly and stepped past her. "What are you, Rei? A wolf or a sheep."  

   The young woman stood there in shock while Shinji soundlessly continued down the empty hallway. It hadn't been the vehemence evident in his voice that had frozen her in place, but the straightforward question asked of her. A long time ago, she had come to a realization on her place in the scheme of things and never questioned herself since then. Yet now that she faced the two simple, yet complex, choices given by the price all her past logic shattered. Everything boiled down to whether she wanted to be a free person, or caged and controlled like an animal.

- - - -

   The flat stone ricocheted off the surface of the small pond clipping the raven too slow in taking off. As the bird shook off the affects of the impact another stone was flying toward it. With a loud shriek, the carrion eater leapt into the air the missile missing it by only a finger's width. Its mates cawed at the scene before they too left the secluded garden in a black rush. Silence soon followed their departure except for the buzz of insects tending their own business.

   Shinji dropped the pebbles he was carrying as the last repulsive bird disappeared from his view. He had retreated to his mother's garden after encountering Rei, not wanting to wander the halls. But the sight before him was not what he had expected and he wearily sank to the ground. Rot and chaos had overtaken the beauty and orderliness imposed on it before his exile. His memories of his mother in his current world were crystal clear and he knew she would be crying; whether for him or the flowers was unknown.

   "It's a shame, isn't it?"

   He turned to see Misato, still in her formal uniform, step out of the trees and stride toward him. She stopped next to him and surveyed everything he had already looked at and committed to memory. Without another word, she lowered herself to the ground careful not crush the few blossoms around her.

   "I thought my father would've taken better care of this place," he began. "He knew how much mother loved flowers and nature. This-" his hand swept before them. "-is an insult to her."

   "He still carries a lot of grief."

   "And I don't! He cares nothing for others and never has! Be careful you remember that and you'll never be surprised when he tries to stab you in the back."

   Misato frowned. "So you're leaving?"

   "I never said that did I?" Shinji stood abruptly and moved toward the scum-covered pond. "I'll fight and follow orders, but not for him or his ideals! I fight for my own reasons and in my own way."    

- - - -

   A shadow slowly made its way to the edge of the castle's walls, waiting for the guards to turn before leaping over. It left the soldiers alive for their deaths could cause its mission to end in abrupt failure, something it could ill afford. On silent feet, the humanoid creature dashed for a door and slid it open to continue on its way. As it progressed deeper into the castle it became more cautious, employing magic when pure stealth wasn't sufficient. Pearl white teeth flashed against the darkness of its face as it sprinted down an empty corridor toward its target. But as a hand reached out for the chamber's door, the hairs on the back of its neck stood up and it spun around in a flash.

   "I was wondering how long it was going to take you," snarled Shinji, his longsword pointed at the creature's neck. "Your stench is quite overpowering, but the coins you're carrying are what gave you away, Sachiel."

   The man flinched. "How did you know?"

   "You think I'd forget my first mission in an Evangelion, or what I fought?" The young man backed away as the black-clad man stood. "Whether you're the size of building, or a human doesn't matter." His face darkened in anger. "Now what happened to the girl you took those coins off of!" 

   "She was quite a delicious young la…" His words died when Shinji plunged his sword into his leg. He looked with disbelief from the oozing wound to his attacker. "That's…"

   "Unfair? Too bad," finished the black armored prince. "You're already dead for killing Takari. How fast I kill you depends on what you did to Samantha."

   "So that was her name." Despite his wound, Sachiel grinned. "She took a long time in dying, but she was the enthusiastic girl before she learned what was to happen. Her last words were for _you_!" As he shouted the last words, the man brought up both his hands and triggered the small crossbows he had been carrying.

   "Is that all you have?" inquired Shinji before snatching the assassin, the bolts in his chest ignored. "I already have our playground picked out." He pulled the man closer, smelling his stench tainted with fear. "The Shadows will be perfect and we won't wake anyone."

   Rei stepped from behind a colonnade, frowning as she stared at the spot where the two men had disappeared. An evil taint had awoken her and brought her to the corridor outside of Shinji's room. What she had heard and seen disturbed the girl, but it agreed with their earlier conversation. Turning, she started back toward her room knowing she had to think about her course of action. Glancing back, she was aware of a battle going on inside her. On one hand, she wanted to follow and further assess Shinji's powers and abilities. On the other hand, she knew it would be foolish of her to follow and risk being either injured or killed in their duel.

   "Couldn't sleep either, Rei?"

   The girl turned toward Misato. "No."

- - - -

   Sachiel cruelly smiled as the man's screams reverberated off the walls of the castle, growing higher in pitch before becoming a gurgle. As the armor-clad warrior fell to the floor with a thud, he felt jubilation at his victory over the human. The shame he'd been forced to endure from his original defeat at the hands of the boy in the human's abomination would be washed away, and he'd climb in rank among the Throne of Souls' legions. But as he walked toward the still form knowing he'd have to clarify his victory, he remembered how he'd thought he'd won that first fight and he wouldn't repeat it. With contempt, he used the tip of his boot to roll the corpse over and his smile grew at the blood-covered features of his opponent locked in pain. His blade slid smoothly into the exposed neck and he forcefully twisted it almost decapitating the body. 

   "I think I'll be taking that, Your Highness," Sachiel gloated when he lifted the signet ring from the floor with his swordpoint, depositing it in his free hand. As he watched with detached interest, the enchanted metal of the ring gave off one last flash of brilliance before becoming dull from his soul's taint.

   Putting the chain and its attached ring around his neck, he turned from the body, sheathing his sword, and walked away his footsteps echoing off the black walls. He knew he'd have to quickly find a portal that would let him leave the Shadows before the Maluryms finally arrived. And he had no desire to seek confrontation with that family of evil shapeshifters, creatures even the Throne of Souls had been unable to recruit for their plans. A brief, almost silent, sound of metal against stone was his only warning and he'd almost completed his spin before a vicious force impacted him. An involuntary scream erupted from his lips, along with blood and spittle as he flew backward.

   Bright light flecked his vision when he'd impacted with the immovable stone of the passageway's far wall, but his warrior's training had him quickly on his feet. Staring back the way he'd come, he held his longsword ready while drawing an enchanted dirk from his belt then whispered a short cantrip. The hallway erupted in searing light and what he saw walking was not only impossible but also froze his soul in fear. Swallowing, he advanced down the center of the stone passage and studied the creature moving to meet him in combat once again. Some of his fear disappeared as he saw how clumsily the man was walking, like he wasn't used to his body, but with each step his movements smoothed out. Snarling, he rushed toward his target intent to strike him down and ensure his death by completely dismembering the warrior, but his blades passed through air.

   "I really should thank you for this opportunity, but I'm not," a voice whispered from behind the assassin, its owner's breath caressing Sachiel's flesh. "Though I desire my freedom in ways you couldn't image I will not be indebted to a insignificant creature such as you."

   Sachiel for the first time in his long life felt fear as icy talons dug into his neck freezing his sweat on his body. It wasn't that he had never experienced fear, but he had usually been the person inflicting it upon others, not the recipient of it. He'd seen it reflected in the eyes of the soldiers and innocents he'd struck down in countless battles. The smell of it had been a drug to him as it rose off the women he'd raped, something he had grown to crave more and more over the years. But this was the first time he'd felt its intimate touch on his own person and he knew that that first contact was but the beginning of his journey. A growl rose only to become a whimper as something frozen plunged through his torso. 

   "We fought for five straight days and turned a dale into a wasteland with our magic. And in the end I lost, swearing allegiance to a human. The first of my kind to do such a thing and the humiliation I felt was supreme, especially after my transformation." 

   The assassin stabbed back with his longsword feeling it pierce armor. "What do you know of humiliation? I've gone through…"

   Once again the Throne of Souls' chosen soldier found himself flying through the air to impact once again against a wall after his short flight. As he lay against the cool material of the Shadows, he wondered where such strength had come from, as Shinji hadn't shown it during their fight. Rolling over, he tried to rise only to collapse as his left arm wouldn't support his weight, but irritation turned to sickness as he saw why. His arm was missing from his biceps to his fingertips, not cleanly severed from a bladed weapon but torn, and he'd never felt the sensations signaling its separation.

   "So frail," hissed the creature, contemptuously throwing the appendage to the ground. "You know nothing and yet you continue to bluster."

   Sachiel pushed himself up with the aid of a wall. "I will not lose! I can not lose!"

   Cruel laughter echoed down the corridor. "You sound as if you have a choice of whether you will win or lose. Let me banish such foolish thoughts and show you what you truly faced."

   The torches in the hall flared, banishing all traces of shadows as warrior faced warrior in what was to be the final strike. Sachiel forced himself to try and get his raging emotions under control but something was foiling his efforts. His eyes narrowed and he growled when he realized who was causing it, and he prepared to speak a counter spell. But the spell never left his lips instead becoming a whimper as he focused his attention back toward his opponent. Glowing green eyes speckled with gold set in an inhuman face bored into his pitiful soul and judged him. 

   "And now you die," a deep reptilian voice told him.

   The Throne of Souls' soldier didn't have time to scream as the spray of acid washed over him. Armor was of no help as flesh melted and flowed off of bone moments before Sachiel's skeleton followed. His magically shielded skull was all that remained and that came to rest in a puddle of steaming acid. A shadow crossed over the white bone a moment before a massive head took the trophy gently in its fanged mouth. Without looking back, the armored creature conjured into reality a portal large enough to transport it's bulk.

- - - -

   '**Thanks.' **

**   'Don't think I did it out of some sense of misguided loyalty or anything. If you die without speaking the words of release I die with you, and I don't particularly feel like dying.'**

**   'Neither do I.'**

Shinji was back in the real world sitting on the roof of the highest turret of his father's castle. Wanting to be alone, he had immediately sought it out after regaining consciousness. Or as alone a person could be when surrounded with bonded creatures and symbionts about his body. Sighing, he lifted one of the quarrels that had been fired and studied the bolt head with a keen eye.

   '**It looks like everyone is playing for keeps this time around. I've never seen this kind of magically enhanced poison before. My defenses were unprepared for such an assault.'**

**   'So what are you going to do?'**

He didn't answer right away instead standing and slipping the quarrel into a swirling vortex that formed in front of him. Turning, he walked toward the edge of the roof overhanging a walkway thirty feet below him. And impacted without a sound, surprising the royal guards patrolling the stretch of stone. With a nod, he walked past them and into the castle heading for the privacy of his own room to do some thinking.

   '**What happens when people who want your death surround one of your kind on all sides?'**

**   'Hmph…you already know the answer. We strike out and slaughter everyone until none who threatened us remains.' **

   '**My thoughts exactly.'**

* * * *

   What would an older Shinji be like if he had had time to adjust to events happening around him? What would his thoughts be like concerning combat if that were all he had known? If forced to become a devil to survive would he still be able to show kindness to others. That is what I'm going to try to show in this series.In this story, he's literally been to hell and back and it has had an affect on his actions. He isn't afraid to kill and suffers very little guilt over his actions. His memory and everyone else's isn't an important issue in the story. Everyone has memories of Earth, NERV, EVAs, and Angels interspersed with their current ones. What they knew from before has to be weighed against what they currently know. Everyone is affected in various degrees by the past, though some more so than others.

   As for the issue of OOC, that's up to how you view the characters. If you see Shinji as a wimp who could never stand up for himself than he'll be OOC. If you see him as a person pushed too far too fast without any say in the matter or chance to adjust to situations than he won't be.

Anyway, C&C is welcome at eva_pilot9@doramail.com****


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